>Exercising restraint in the face of danger is actually more brave than just
>blazing away. However, each has its place. I would not want a bunny lover in
>command of a SEAL unit, for example. Elite combat unit members should be people
>who have no compunctions about shooting who they are told to shoot, when they
>are told to shoot them, with no compunctions or remorse. I would be worried
>about having such a person in the White House, on the other hand. 80% of the
>military, and 95% of the general population I would not trust to watch my back
>in combat.

Data point: one of my stalwart old friends is an ex-SEAL. Smart, sane,
quiet, calm in a crisis, dependable. No hint of violence about him. When I
met him, he was working on a doctorate in nuclear physics. The Navy picked
him repeatedly as an astronaut finalist but he never made it past NASA.
Many other talents. Only downside is that he clearly has a lot of stories he
won't tell me.

Not exactly a bunny lover but not what you'd expect for a "stone cold killer".
And I *would* trust him in the White House, certainly more than Clinton, Bore,
or Gush.